Corona

The
world has already experienced the spread and impact of the ‘Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome’ caused by SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Ebola, Nipah and
now the coronavirus disease, COVID -19.
We are now struck with the spread of COVID 19 at an alarming rate, and
in geometric proportions, from person to person, and across multiple nations in
the world with no signs of slowing down.

It is really worrying and horrifying, as the
medical science and the scientific community at large seem to be at a loss, at
least in the current scenario. The Central and State Governments are doing
their best to reduce the spread through surveillance and containment of
infections, quarantine and isolation, as well as treating the infected, though
a specific vaccine is yet to be developed. As the infection is assuming
pandemic proportions, the Indian Government has declared 21 days of national
lockdown to contain the spread of this dangerous disease.

Earth,
the One Common Home:
Pope Francis in his encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ exhorts the Church to take care of
the ecosystem and this planet as the common home where everything is connected.
Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters
on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his
creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister
moon, brother river and mother earth. We are one human family on one common
home which is the planet earth. Hence our elders used to have symbiotic
relationship with nature, ensuring interconnectedness and biodiversity. Good
health of this planet means good health of all those living on it.

God
has created this universe in such a way as to ensure interconnectedness and
interdependence among its creations. By protecting the habitat of other species
of God’s creation, they will not enter the human habitations for their food and
shelter. Biodiversity acts as a protective layer to prevent the spread of
diseases from animals to humans. A healthy ecosystem, where our guests, the
birds and mammals, live together in total harmony, will provide us a better
environment, with no room for the spread of diseases. It is high time that we
re-set the lost equation among the living beings and bring back the diseased
earth back to its state of harmony and peace.

King, Martin Luther Jr., in his letter from a Birmingham
jail said “
Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied
in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all
indirectly” This reminds us of the interconnectedness, injustice, and loss of
biodiversity; human beings invading the habitats of other species, leading to
ecological imbalance. Researchers and environmental activists today strongly
feel that the destruction of biodiversity creates favorable circumstances for
the new viruses and diseases like corona. This can be linked with the outbreak
of Corona virus wherein we invade the habitat of other species with our greed
for manipulating them for our profit. The time has come to connect our health
and wellbeing with the protection of biodiversity, conservation of ecosystem,
interconnectedness and integrity of God’s creations.

Lock down Unlocked the Freedom of the Nature: The health disaster posed by Corona
virus is connected to the extinction of species and climate change.
Environmental degradation due to human interactions with the nature is on the
rise during the last few years. The increasing degradation of production base
and the imbalance in land-water-plant-human-animal system is leading to
ecological imbalance and economic insecurity. At least a few days during lock
down is a great chance for the nature.
The ecosystem started flourishing with the lock down
announced by the Government of India. There is drastic reduction in vehicular
emissions, the industrial operations has grounded to a halt, with no human
interactions to spoil the nature, and a resultant improvement in the air
quality. The air is much healthier than before. CNN reported that the 1.3
billion people to a near halt has provided a temporary remedy to the
suffocating pollution levels. Main cities are recording much lower levels of
nitrogen dioxide and harmful microscopic particulate matter PM2.5. The normal
level of PM2.5 is 60 microgram cubic meter. When the level of PM2.5 increases,
it penetrates deeply into our lungs leading to breathing problems, cough,
asthma, burning sensation in the eyes etc. While the pollution level is
improving, it helps also in improving the existence of ozone layer. Birds and
butterflies stated enjoying their life as human disturbance is reduced. This is
a great realization for us to take care of all species of God’s creation. The
earth is not just for human beings alone, but for others as well, and hence
protecting the rights of Mother Nature is a critical health imperative.

Janatha Curfew on the
Earth Day: In the dark clouds of coronavirus, the quarantine and the lock down,
let us see the silver lining that nature has thrived as humans retreat. This is
also a strong reminder that unless we take care to give nature its due rightful
space, the nature would resort to extreme steps in reclaiming its space and to
re-set the balance. While it is painful to accept the reality, let us commit to
be periodically reminded of our responsibility to Mother Earth and the planet.
The right time for this would be the Earth Day. It would be most appropriate to
declare Janatha Curfew on every April 22nd, the Earth Day, a day
when we shut down all human activity, a day free of vehicular movements and
industrial production as a sign of our respectful salute to nature, a day to
appreciate the old values and simpler things in life, a day to enjoy silence
and clean air, and a day to declare our solidarity with all living creatures,
respecting their right for co-habitation and co-existence with us humans.